Strawberry plant named `Aromas`

ABSTRACT

`CN209` is a new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant of the day-neutral type which has larger fruit and produces greater yields than `Selva` or `Seascape` when treated with appropriate planting regimes. Production for `CN209` initiates slightly later than for the comparison cultivars and it produces substantially larger quantities of late-season fruit.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

There are no related applications.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinctive day-neutral typecultivar designated as `CN209` also known as `Aromas`, which resultedfrom a cross performed in 1991 between advanced selections Cal 87.112-6and Cal 88.270-1. This cultivar is botanically identified as F.×ananassaDuch.

`CN209` was first fruited at the University of California WolfskillExperimental Orchard, near Winters, Calif. in 1992, where it wasselected, originally designated Cal 91.248-3, and propagated asexuallyby runners. Following selection and during testing the plant of thisdisclosure was designated `CN209`. With the decision that this plant wasto be released, it was given the name `Aromas` for the purposes ofintroduction into commerce and for international registration andrecognition. Asexual propagules from this original source have beentested at the Watsonville Strawberry Research Facility, the South CoastResearch and Extension Center, and to a limited extent in grower fieldsstarting in 1994.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the general flowering and fruiting characteristics of theplant.

FIG. 2 depicts a typical mature leaf during late spring.

FIG. 3 depicts representative mid-season fruit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

`CN209` is moderate to weak in expressing the day-neutral character,being a stronger day-neutral than `Seascape` (U.S. Plant Pat. No.7,614), comparable or slightly more day-neutral than `Selva` (U.S. PlantPat. No. 5,266), and less so than `Fern` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,267) or`Irvine` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,172). The production pattern for `CN209`is similar to that for `Selva` or `Seascape`, and it will be of specialinterest for winter plantings, where `Selva` and `Seascape` have beensuccessful and summer plantings where `Seascape` has been successful.

Plants and Foliage

Fruiting plants of `CN209` are more erect and usually more vigorous thanplants of `Selva` or `Seascape`. With appropriate treatment, `CN209` isa slightly larger plant than `Selva`, and similar in size to `Seascape`.Comparative statistics for foliar characters near mid-season are givenfor the three cultivars in Table 1. Leaflets are somewhat smaller andmore rounded than leaves of `Selva` or `Seascape`. Leaves includingpetioles are somewhat longer and more narrow than the comparisoncultivars. Petioles are thicker and more stiff than those of `Selva` andare similar to those of `Seascape`. `CN209` has variable leaf convexity,generally more concave than leaves of `Selva`, and has fewer and morerounded serrations than the comparison cultivars. The adaxial (upper)leaf surface for `CN209` is darker and more glossy than for thecomparison cultivars, whereas the abaxial surface is slightly lighter(Table 2)

Isozymes in Leaf Extracts

`CN209` has been classified for three isozyme systems using starch gelelectrophoresis (Table 3): Phosophoglucoisomerase (PGI), LeucineAminopeptidase (LAP), and Phosphoglucomutase (PGM). It isdistinguishable from `Selva` but not from `Seascape` using thismethodology. For electrophoretic procedures see: J. Amer. Soc. Hort.Sci. 106:684-687.

Disease and Pest Reaction

`CN209` is moderately susceptible to common leaf spot (Ramulariatulasnei) and Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae), relativelyresistant to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) and Anthracnosecrown rot (Colletotrichum acutatum). When treated properly, it hastolerance to two-spotted spidermites (Tetranychus urticae) greater than`Seascape` and `Selva`. `CN209` is tolerant to strawberry virusesencountered in California.

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        Foliar characteristics for `CN209`, `Selva`, and                              `Seascape`.                                                                          Cultivar                                                               Foliar                                                                        Character                                                                              `Selva`      `Seascape` `CN209`                                      ______________________________________                                        Mid-tier leaflet                                                              Length (mm)                                                                   mean     72.6         72.8       66.3                                         range    65-88        65-82      60-77                                        Width (mm)                                                                    mean     68.2         64.5       62.8                                         range    51-84        48-78      57-70                                        Mid-tier leaf                                                                 Length (mm)                                                                   mean     119.2        123.8      125.8                                        range     94-139       80-155    110-143                                      Width (mm)                                                                    mean     130.1        127.1      120.5                                        range    111-170      108-150    105-134                                      # leaflets/leaf                                                                        3            3, rarely 4                                                                              3                                            Leaf convexity                                                                         mostly flat to                                                                             concave to mostly flat to                                        convex       convex, mostly                                                                           convex                                                             flat to convex                                          Serrations                                                                    number   few-moderate moderate   moderate                                     shape    round to     semiround to                                                                             semipointed                                           semipointed  semipointed                                             Leaf     moderate     moderate   moderate to                                  pubescence                       heavy                                        Petiole pubescence                                                            density  heavy        mod. to heavy                                                                            heavy                                        direction                                                                              perpendicular                                                                              perp to slight                                                                           perpendicular                                                      acropetal                                               ______________________________________                                    

Flowering, Fruiting, Fruit, and Production Characteristics

`CN209` is similar to other California day-neutral cultivars (e. g.`Selva` and `Seascape`) in that it will flower independently of daylength, given appropriate temperature and fertility conditions.Comparative statistics for flower and fruit characters near mid-seasonare given for the three cultivars in Table 4. The primary flowers for`CN209` are similar in size, perhaps slightly larger than `Selva` and`Seascape`; the sepals are somewhat larger than for `Seascape` andsubstantially larger than for `Selva`. The calyx for `CN209` varies fromslightly indented to even, and each primary flower has 5-6 petals. Thefruit shape for `CN209` can vary but is typically a short conic,sometimes heart-shaped or slightly flattened, and is easilydistinguished from other California day-neutral cultivars. External andinternal fruit color for `CN209` are darker than for `Selva` andslightly darker than `Seascape`, and fruit is substantially more glossythan either comparison cultivar (Table 2). Achenes vary but are red todark red, and are slightly indented.

`CN209` has been tested under a variety of cultural regimes, and optimalperformance is obtained when nursery treatments and nutritional programssimilar to those for `Selva` and `Seascape` are used. In general,`CN209` is more vigorous than the comparison cultivars but requiressimilar chilling to insure fruit quality. `CN209` retains good fruitquality in summer planting systems, similar to `Seascape`.

When treated with appropriate planting regimes, `CN209` has larger fruitand produces greater yields than `Selva` or `Seascape` (Table 5).Production for `CN209` initiates slightly later than for the comparisoncultivars and it produces substantially larger quantities of late-seasonfruit. Commercial appearance ratings have been superior to those for thecomparison cultivars. Fruit firmness is similar to that for `Selva` andgreater than that for `Seascape`. Subjectively, `CN209` has very goodflavor, substantially better than `Selva`, and equal to that for`Seascape`. The fruit will be outstanding for both fresh market andprocessing, and will be useful for home garden purposes.

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Foliar and fruit color characteristics                                        for `CN209`, `Selva`, and `Seascape`                                          Color    Cultivar                                                             Character                                                                              `Selva`     `Seascape`                                                                              `CN209`                                        ______________________________________                                        Leaf color (CIELAB)                                                           Adaxial                                                                       L*                                                                            mean     31.9        29.1      30.3                                           range    30.2-33.7   26.9-32.3 29.6-30.8                                      a*                                                                            mean     -6.5        -5.1      -6.2                                           range    -5.8--7.2   -2.4--6.6 -5.5--6.6                                      b*                                                                            mean     12.7        11.3      11.3                                           range     9.8-15.8    9.5-16.5 10.2-11.9                                      Munsell  2.5G 3/3    2.5GY 4/3 5GY 4/3                                        Abaxial                                                                       L*                                                                            mean     48.3        48.3      49.6                                           range    47.2-50.4   47.0-49.6 47.7-50.7                                      a*                                                                            mean     -7.7        -7.2      -7.1                                           range    -7.3--8.3   -6.3--8.0 -6.5--7.6                                      b*                                                                            mean     17.9        18.1      17.6                                           range    16.7-19.4   16.7-19.0 16.2-18.7                                      Munsell  7.5GY 4/4   10GY 4/5  10Y 4/3                                        Fruit color (CIELAB)                                                          External                                                                      L*                                                                            mean     28.5        25.4      23.3                                           range    23.7-33.1   22.7-31.5 20.8-24.6                                      a*                                                                            mean     29.7        28.7      25.5                                           range    26.9-31.5   25.4-33.1 21.4-29.1                                      b*                                                                            mean     16.9        13.7      10.7                                           range    14.4-22.1    9.3-19.8  8.7-12.5                                      Munsell  5R 4/12     5R 3/7    10RP 3/10                                                           5R 4/12                                                  Internal                                                                      L*                                                                            mean     48.8        45.5      52.4                                           range    44.4-53.1   38.3-55.0 48.0-57.7                                      a*                                                                            mean     35.2        37.8      33.7                                           range    31.5-39.5   30.8-42.7 24.6-37.2                                      b*                                                                            mean     29.4        26.9      23.9                                           range    26.9-33.9   21.9-34.2 20.3-27.3                                      Munsell  5R 5/13     7R 5/13   5R 6/11                                                                       5R 5/13                                        ______________________________________                                         *CIELAB is the abbreviation of the international color system known as        "Commission Internationale De L'Eclairage" 1978. Recommendation on unifor     color spaces  color difference equations, psychometric color terms,           Supplement No. 2 to CIE Publication No. 15. PARIS.                       

                  TABLE 3                                                         ______________________________________                                        Isozyme phenotypes for `CN209`, `Selva`, and                                  `Seascape`.                                                                   Cultivar                                                                      locus   `Selva`      `Seascape`                                                                             `CN209`                                         ______________________________________                                        PGI     A2           A4       A4                                              LAP     B3           B3       B3                                              PGM     C2           C2       C2                                              ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        Flower and fruit characters for `CN209`, `Selva`,                             and `Seascape`                                                                         Cultivar                                                             Character  `Selva`    `Seascape`                                                                              `CN209`                                       ______________________________________                                        # petals                                                                      mean       5.8        6.1       5.3                                           range      5-8        5-7       5-6                                           Flower     even or    most even mostly even                                   position   interior   some interior                                           (relative to          or exposed                                              foliage)                                                                      Calyx diam. (mm)                                                              mean       29.0       35.7      37.1                                          range      22-35      30-40     35-40                                         Corolla diam. (mm)                                                            mean       37.5       35.7      38.9                                          range      31-43      32-40     36-41                                         Fruit shape                                                                   length/width                                                                  ratio      1.16       1.15      1.19                                          range      1.02-1.25  1.00-1.31 1.07-1.33                                     subjective conic to flat                                                                            mostly sharp                                                                            mostly rounded                                           conic      conic     conic                                         Calyx position                                                                           even with  even/slight                                                                             slight indent                                            shoulder   neck                                                    Seed position                                                                            even/slight                                                                              slight indent                                                                           slight indent                                            extrude    to slight                                                                     extrude                                                 ______________________________________                                    

TABLE 5 Performance of `CN209`, `Selva`, and `Seascape` evaluated at theWatsonville Research Facility in 1995 and 1996

All plants for these trials were harvested from Macdoel on Oct. 16 or17, and planted with four weeks supplemental storage prior to planting.Harvest was initiated in early April and continued through the firstweek of Octover. (52" 2-row beds, 17,300 plants/acre, 100grams/plant=316.3 crates/acre)

    ______________________________________                                                          Late                                                                 Yield    Yield  Appear- Size                                                  (g/      (g/    ance    (g/                                          Item     plant)   plant) Score   fruit)                                                                             Firmness                                ______________________________________                                        `Selva`  1,764    389    3.2     24.4 7.3                                     `Seascape`                                                                             1,832    375    3.3     24.0 6.9                                     `CN209`  2,094    452    3.6     25.4 7.5                                     ______________________________________                                         Late yield includes harvest from August 20 through October 10.            

When `Aromas` is compared to `Diamante` (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 8/747,406, filed Nov. 12, 1996), it is found that `Aromas`forms smaller fruit that is darker in coloration especially on interiorfruit, and tends to be more productive.

We claim:
 1. The new and distinct cultivar of strawberry plant substantially as herein described and illustrated. 